Short Courses & Upskilling Learning Units (ULUs)
The Centre for Learning Technologies (CLT) is committed to creating professional learning opportunities for staff in their efforts to meaningfully include learning technology into their courses for students. The Centre offers two accredited short courses in Blended Learning, which provide a community of practice where staff members can further develop knowledge in the theoretical and practical aspects of technology-mediated teaching, learning and assessment. These short courses are offered free to staff members.
The Learning Technology Support (LTS) team in the Centre also provides a basic training session on the use of SUNLearn and/or other University-supported software.
Read more about CLT's available courses, training or support below.
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Short Course | GenAI and Socially Responsive Teaching Strategies
This short course offers academics who teach at SU an opportunity to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the role of AI in various inclusive pedagogical approaches. How could AI impact student learning? Which pedagogical approaches could we consider that would promote inclusivity and equity? Building on years of research in the digital field, the course will draw on well-established theoretical perspectives and evidence-based practices to guide participants in integrating AI sustainably in teaching-learning-assessment (TLA).
Participants will have the opportunity to (1) deepen their understanding of social justice in the current digitally enabled higher education environment; (2) expand their knowledge and skills in engaging critically with automated tools like generative AI; (3) develop a deeper understanding of socially just pedagogies and how they can impact student learning; and (4) collaboratively explore practical ways in which AI could shape in-class and out-of-class learning experiences.
This course is free to all SU staff.
After completion of the course, the participants will be able to:
- Outline broad theoretical perspectives in explaining the relationship between humans and machines;
- Identify critical AI literacies appropriate for their unique disciplinary contexts;
- Apply newly acquired knowledge in using different prompting techniques to communicate with GenAI;
- Evaluate and apply different social justice perspectives in relation to AI and their own disciplinary contexts; and
- Develop a working understanding of how to adapt existing TLA practices to enable a more inclusive learning experience when engaging with GenAI.
Topic 1: Introduction to Social Justice in the HE Digital Sphere
Topic 2: Developing Critical AI Literacies
Topic 3: Exploring the Interplay between AI and Socially Just Pedagogies
Topic 4: AI, Social Justice and Praxis
Topic 5: Final Assignment
Flexible mode: Weekly sessions occur in person and via Teams, with the rest of the week open for preparation and task completion.
The average number of hours a participant could expect to spend on the course is 40 notional hours over five weeks.
To indicate your interest in the first-semester course, please email Magriet de Villiers at [email protected].
This course is free to all SU staff.
After successful completion, the participant will receive an official short course certificate.
First semester 2025: 7 April - 16 May
Synchronous sessions to take place on:
- Monday 7 April 9:00 - 11:00
- Tuesday 15 April 9:00 - 11:00
- Wednesday 23 April 9:00 - 11:00
- Monday 5 May 9:00 - 11:00
- Tuesday 13 May 9:00 - 11:00
Second semester 2025: 11 August - 19 September (synchronous session dates to be confirmed)
ULUs | Introduction to Blended Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Stellenbosch University (SU) uses the term ‘Blended Learning’ to refer to the application of technologies to support teaching, learning and assessment practices. This series of introductory ULUs aims to help teaching staff critically analyse and implement blended learning approaches effectively to support student learning.
Each ULU is open for one year and can be completed at your own time and pace. You will receive a SUNLearn badge for each ULU completed and a document of completion for completing one whole series of ULUs.
After completion of the ULUs, the participants will be able to:
- Describe the field of educational technology;
- Apply the theoretical grounding of Blended Learning;
- Apply their developed practical and context-specific skills in the integration of learning technologies into the curriculum; and
- Explain the concept of e-assessment and how to apply it in an assessment strategy.
Click on the ULU topic to register:
The maximum hours that a participant could expect to spend on a ULU are 3 hours.
Click on the individual registration links above (under "Topics") to enrol via SUN e-HR. Once access is manually granted, CLT will email you your enrolment details.
These ULUs are available to complete throughout the year at your own time and pace.
ULUs | Advanced Blended Teaching, Learning and Assessment
To advance our Blended Learning approaches, we incorporate Diana Laurillard's Six Ways of Learning (2012) as pedagogical strategies. This series of more advanced ULUs aims to improve learning activities by testing and applying learning technologies that support 1) knowledge acquisition, 2) collaboration, 3) discussion, 4) investigation, 5) practice and 6) production.
Each ULU is open for one year and can be completed at your own time and pace. You will receive a SUNLearn badge for each ULU completed and a document of completion for completing one whole series of ULUs.
After completion of the ULUs, the participants will be able to:
- Analyse the pedagogical strategies of Laurillard's Six Ways of Learning;
- Search, assess and use up-to-date learning technologies in order to improve their teaching; and
- Design, develop and implement meaningful learning experiences in order to activate learning.
Click on the ULU topic to register:
The maximum hours that a participant could expect to spend on a ULU are 3 hours.
Click on the individual registration links above (under "Topics") to enrol via SUN e-HR. Once access is manually granted, CLT will email you your enrolment details.
ULUs are available to complete throughout the year at your own time and pace.
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